​Wildlife & Animals – Kafue NP

Philip Briggs
Expert
By Philip Briggs

Philip has traveled through Zambia several times and is the author of more than 20 guidebooks to various African destinations.

Philip is the Zambia expert for SafariBookings and author of more than 20 guidebooks to Africa.

Philip is our Zambia expert and author of more than 20 guidebooks to Africa.

Although different areas of the park offer different experiences, Kafue National Park has a fair amount of wildlife. Elephants are very common and the 300-plus super herds that form around Lake Itezhi-Tezhi are a sight to behold. There are plenty of hippos and crocodiles in the rivers and, while some of the wildlife can be a bit skittish, lions are as lazy and relaxed as they are anywhere.

Abundant
Common
Occasional
Rare
None
ElephantCommon
GiraffeNone
HippoCommon
BuffaloCommon
ZebraCommon
WildebeestOccasional
White RhinoNone
Black RhinoNone
LionCommon
LeopardOccasional
CheetahRare
HyenaOccasional
Wild DogOccasional

Wildlife Highlights

This ecologically diverse park stands out for its wide variety of antelope, with a total of 20 species present. You’ll see massive herds of red lechwe in the wetlands (where you also find puku). On drier ground, you might spot Lichtenstein's hartebeest, sable antelope, roan antelope, greater kudu and oribi. Leopards are widespread and regularly encountered on night drives, while cheetahs are mostly seen on the Busanga Plains.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The best time for wildlife viewing in the park is the middle and end of the Dry season, from July to October. This is when animals gather around remaining water sources. The thinning vegetation makes spotting easier too.

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